Card Thief
by Kurakinz
Summary: A mysterious man has been out, prowling town late at night, for some...trading cards? One brave girl seeks to put an end to these strange occurrences and find out who's the main mastermind behind this. This story wouldn't exist without my great great awesome friend's help, so do enjoy! The start is a bit abrupt but hopefully things will make sense later. R&R c:
1. Rain

Author Notes: Juuuuust before anybody reads this, I'd like to mention that it was my best friend and I who started this, and she doesn't exactly know that I'm publishing this... heheheh quick shout out to WhiteWolf100101! XD oh gosh please don't kill me...

Anyhulu, please enjoy this very very short snippet of a story that will most likely update quickly but with short chappies because I have them premade already, so without further delay, I present to you, my first ever... Card Thief

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or thing except the idea and OCs

* * *

Chapter 1:

Rain

"You have something that I need."

The heavy rain pelted gloomily on the remaining car hoods on the city streets; cars buzzed by, skidding and sliding through the night with their bright lights, as a young woman hastily paced her way towards her late night job.

"You!"

The masculine voice was very close to her now. The woman hesitantly stopped in the street lamp's fluorescent glow and adjusted her raincoat.

_Was that voice meant for me? Surely this is my imagination…right?_

She took a glance behind her and saw no one, to her surprise and relief. She turned back to face her destination and was taken aback when she was confronted with the face of a teenage boy.

"…I am talking to you," the teenage boy sneered, taking out his gloved hand.

"Give me the card."

The woman stared at his hand in confusion.

_...Does he mean my credit card?_

She took a timid hand into her black leather purse, but the boy quickly grabbed said hand and stopped her.

"The card in your pocket," he near whispered, enunciating every last syllable.

The woman's face was unreadable under her raincoat but the feeling of fear was evident in her stature.

"-Look I- I'll call the cops!" The woman, in her distress, stuttered.

"No you won't," the teenager calmly replied, with a near sneer.

With his free hand, he grabbed her phone from out of her raincoat pocket and dropped it into a heavy flowing stream of water, sweeping it into the nearest sewer. The woman froze on the spot, the feeling of helplessness seeping slowly into her skin, like the raindrops that were now seeping into her cream blouse, making her skin crawl.

"Is...Is this…?" She stammered. The woman ran her hand into her back pocket and took out her son's slightly bent duel monsters card, something she took as for punishment for him being out so late.

"...This what you want?"

The boy smirked and snatched the card with haste.

"Excellent, you've been proven to be quiet useful..."

The woman sighed in relief as the boy began to release her hand.

"…It's a shame this card won't be the only thing your son will be missing."

The boy chuckled and before the woman had anytime to react, he plunged a dagger straight into her heart. The woman gasped, eyes bulged and paralyzed, all the while the boy laughed sadistically. The boy slashed the dagger out of her body and smirked at his doing.

_Well done, you have exceeded your master's expectations yet again. Report back to me at once for your reward. _

The boy nodded to what appeared to be himself, hid the body and discarded of her ID. He stalked down the empty sidewalk, the rain still down pouring as he smiled smugly to himself.

* * *

"This is such a weird case! A murderous card thief, what's next, a homicidal sock stealer?!" A tall, blonde, teenage girl loudly remarked as she scurried to keep up with someone else.

"Well Annette, I've heard weirder," the other girl replied and quickened her step.

The two remained quiet for a moment, both pacing down the gloomy streets of downtown Japan.

"And to think," Annette continued, "that I was called all the way from Germany for this job!"

The other girl nodded and replied with a sigh, "Well, this case is pretty big, word is that it isn't just alleyway thieving this man is committing. Stores have reported missing game cards, only the rare ones, the rest scattered on the floor...it certainly can't be all one person."

"Ah I see, well someone's been doing their homework!"

The girl nodded and smirked, "They don't call me the best for nothing, rookie."

Annette laughed and casually looked up toward the mall the two were about to enter. It seemed quiet from the outside, but inside was a grand exodus of people. The two fought the bustled crowds of people in the direction of the small game shop located in the center of the mall. Annette and the other made their way inside the quiet game shop, unharmed by the mass of people outside. The store was empty, all except for the shopkeeper, a pale man in his thirties with long, black hair.

Surprised to see visitors, the man smiled and greeted them, "Why hello! I didn't think I'd be getting customers for a while, considering the incident with the duel monster cards."

Annette smiled, as with the other girl, along with outstretching her arm for a handshake.

"The name's Vanessa Storm, high school reporter, and my friend here is-"

"Stephanie!" Annette giggled and shook the man's hand vigorously.

"Oh! Reporters, how exciting! Well I'm not so sure this case will be interesting enough for your school's newspaper, but it definitely was peculiar..."

The man walked from the front desk and gestured for them to follow him.

"You see, this morning my shop was unlocked, when I clearly remembered locking it," he said as he walked toward the duel monster packs.

"I walked into my shop finding it a mess! Cards, duel monster cards, everywhere! It took me nearly an hour to clean it by myself."

"And why were you by yourself?" 'Vanessa' asked the man.

"Well, it seemed as though all my employees were...gone, either sick or on vacation. I couldn't get a hold of a single one."

Annette continued talking with the man as the other, "Vanessa," took a look at the duelist cards. The girl carefully inspected the cards that the shopkeeper gathered into a plastic bin.

"Was their anything special about the cards that were taken?" The girl interrupted suddenly and asked the man.

"Well, it seems that all the rarest duel monster cards had been taken," the man took one of the cards and mindlessly played with it with his fingers.

The man's reply confirmed 'Vanessa's' suspicions; the card thief was definitely here.

"Thank you sir, I think we have our story."

"Why thank you Vanessa," the shopkeeper smiled.

Annette grabbed a duel monsters pack and asked the clerk to ring her up. The two left the mall and began to walk back to their headquarters.

"May, you don't think..." Annette paused, not exactly sure how to word her question.

"Do I think that the card thief murdered that man's employees?

Yes, I think so"

May quickened her pace and headed toward an abandoned apartment. "This can't just be one man, Annette, we have a serious case on our hands."


	2. Coffee Shop

Chapter 2:

Coffee Shop

The coffee house lights were dimming and the tea was growing bitter as Ai Watoshi, amateur novelist, scowled at her empty notebook. She'd been there all day, staring off into the distance, ordering pastries, but not one creative thought had entered her mind.

Ai sighed and let down her long, auburn hair so it rested along her shoulders. She rested her elbows onto the wood tabletop and sternly stared at her coffee mug.

"This is hopeless..." Ai mumbled to herself.

The young woman glanced to the side and noticed that a man was watching her, a young man, tan and wearing gold bracelets. Ai took a double take and saw that he had vanished. Intrigued, Ai stood up, tipped her waiter, and left the shop.

As the ringing of the store door came to a whisper, Ai whipped around and noticed that the store had turned its lights off as soon as she was out. The girl tugged on the door as well to see that it was locked too. Ai scratched her cheek in confusion and a slight feeling of uneasiness overtook her. The woman put that uneasiness aside, reassuring herself that her discomfort was part of her anxiety, and that there was nothing to fear.

Ai glanced back in the direction of where the mysterious man had gone, and followed. The woman was determined to get her story, and if she had to stoop so low as to stalk mysterious men into the darkening street, so be it. Of course, she was no dummy; Ai was aware that some real creeps came out at night, and had heard her fair share of gruesome tales.

That's why Ai always brought along her trusty pocketknife, it helped her many a times when she was in a pinch. She had even scarred one's arm, something she wasn't so sure she was proud of. When she looks back at the scene now, she grimaces at her actions, even if she was only defending herself against the attacker.

_It was a shame that the attacker covered his face; I would've liked to describe them to the police. It was the oddest thing...all that trouble over some card that was given to me... _

Ai quickened her step and finally saw the man again, speaking with another man it appeared; both were speaking quickly and in a hushed tone. Ai couldn't quiet catch what the platinum headed, tan boy had said, but the other man seemed to agree with whatever he was saying. Ai scurried closer to the men and hid herself in darkness.

"Odion, I need that card!"

"Master Marik, I understand ransacking houses and shops, but a museum?"

"It is essential for the plan Odion!"

"Well, I cannot agree with you, master, it's too risky"

"Grrr, well if you won't do it, you can go ahead and leave!" Marik hissed, voice filled with malice.

"…Marik..." Odion shifted uncomfortably and sighed.

Odion put a hand on the teens shoulder. Ai couldn't quiet make out his face, but could tell he was sad; his voice was thick with deep sorrow. Marik softened and put Odion's hand aside.

"I know how important this is to you," Odion said in a hushed voice. Marik simply nodded his head, and with that, Odion left.

After Odion left, there was silence, a sickening, stiff, and suffocating silence. Ai could not move, no matter how much she wanted to, her legs did not obey. She was frozen on the spot, and that's when the voice called out.

"You can come out now,"

Ai tried to move; she tried to speak! But nothing...not a sound would utter from her lips, nor would her body move at her will. Struck with panic, Ai began to feel sick, and her body grew hot.

Suddenly, she was free to move. The eerie feeling of being trapped was withheld, for now. Ai made a start to run for it, but an overwhelming feeling in her legs abruptly made her trip and fall.

"If you were wise, you'd do as I say and come," Marik remarked nastily toward Ai, who was currently shell shocked immobile.

Ai reluctantly got up and made her way toward the boy. Marik smiled, which only made Ai want to gag a little more. Knees wobbly and stomach queasy, Ai silently made a frantic search for the knife in her pocket.

"Give me the knife,"

Marik pointed to her pocket.

Ai stiffened and looked into the eyes of the tan teenager. His eyes were a handsome shade of lilac-amethyst, but the shadows of the alleyway made them dark and dangerous.

Ai hesitantly found her pocketknife in her pocket and offered it to the teen. Knowing that this was unwise, she shut her eyes tightly as the boy swiped the knife away. When Ai realized she wasn't dead yet, she peeped one eye open to see Marik smirking at her smugly.

"Such a trivial weapon, can almost never get the job done," Marik breathed and brought out a weapon of his own.

"Now this!" Marik raised his golden rod proudly and with insolence, "This is a weapon truly worthy of applause! It can manipulate beyond anything you could imagine..."

Marik trailed off and pointed the rod straight at Ai's throat.

"Now," Marik snickered, "you have something that I need."

"M-me?" Ai's breath hitched as she tried to muster up the courage to speak.

"Mhmm," Marik smirked, "you know what I want."

"I...do?" Ai gulped.

"Heh, the memory of a goldfish...You really don't remember me? You were given something very dear to me and I'd like to have it back," Marik spoke with fake politeness and a blood-curdling grin.

"The card..." Ai mumbled aloud.

"Hmm?"

Marik pressed the rod deeper to her throat, making actual contact. Blood slowly dropped down the girl's neck, and the woozy feeling she had before kicked in again.

"Where is it, Ai?"

Marik's eyes grew darker and he pressed the rod deeper into her skin. Ai's legs wanted to collapse but they couldn't, she was immobile yet again. Her vision grew hazy and her chest had tightened drastically. Finally Marik snapped and took the rod off of her. He glared at Ai and gruffly smacked her against the brick wall of an apartment.

"Tell me where it is or you'll be killed here on the spot!" Marik spat in rage.

Ai tried to speak, she really did, but no matter how much she tried, no sound would come out. Her head was spinning and stars were all around her, and ever if Ai could speak, she surely wouldn't be able to create legitimate words.

Marik seethed with rage and, raising his rod, plummeted it straight into

... the wall?

Ai glanced at the blonde with her foggy vision, and realized that the Marik who was talking to her was not the same as he was now. Marik was twitchy and his pupils shrank a bit. He dropped his rod and mumbled repeatedly to himself,

"O-Odion…I need Odion... Ren!"

A teen about Marik's age rose from the shadows and grabbed Ai as she collapsed into his arms.

"Take her...a-away...from me...but do not dispose of her till I take that card!"

Marik then vanished into the darkness, leaving Ai and Ren alone. Suddenly Ai felt very faint, and she left consciousness in the teen's surprisingly warm arms.

* * *

Silence. May waited in silence for her crewmember to respond, sitting in the dark museum she was sent to; she just knew that the criminal was close…May checked to she if her headset was still on and waited a few more seconds.

"Agent Richard, check in."

…Silence…

"Agent Richard, this is Raven Leader, please respond."

…Silence…

"Raven 6, respond."

When the agent failed to respond again, May tightened her gloves and spoke back into the headset,

"I'm going to look for him, maybe his communicator's down... Keep a sharp eye, I'll be back to my post in a few."

May scanned the museum for any sign of movement before effortlessly sliding down from one of the building's columns and disappearing into the shadows. With silent concentrated steps, she briskly walked to Richard's last known position- the museum's entrance. Something was wrong; May knew it. She hadn't felt such a strong way of unease in a long time. Starting to round a corner, May saw something move out of the corner of her eye and whipped around to defend herself. After freezing for a moment she almost laughed in surprise when she saw her own reflection.

May wore a black body suite with belts around her hip and thighs, holding two guns, a few knives, and an assortment of assault equipment. Her shoes were black, along with her leather gloves and cover she had to hide her face, the only color to be seen on the Raven Leader were the brightness of her blue eyes, the whiteness of the skin exposed on her face, and the green light of the watch (if she took the cover off it). Feeling a little better, May turned on her heels and continued her search for Richard. The girl finished turning around the corner and saw a body slouched against the wall.

"Richard," May gasped and ran over to him. He was barely conscious and had a swollen eye. May also noticed that he had a giant gash and a bruise on his head from what appeared to be a scepter, considering that there was an imprint of an eye on the side of his head. Richard blinked a few times before recognizing May.

"Ag... nt," He coughed, "behi... ou"

May's eyes widened with realization and turned in time to see a giant cloaked man punch her square in the face. The assaulted girl was blown back from the shock of impact. With a dizzy head, May groaned in agony and massaged the side of her jaw, which was now throbbing with pain. The cloaked man chuckled while he took another swing at May, who dodged the attack by rolling between the man's legs and kicking him in his crotch while she sprung back up on the other side of him. Angered, the man turned only to catch May's round about kick... with his face. She smiled as she watched the man grab his nose, which had stated to bleed.

"Payback hurts, doesn't it?" She stated quite cockily, before throwing a dart into the side of her attackers arm.

Seconds later, the man was heap on the museum's smooth floor. The masked ninja smugly rubbed her hands and turned to meet about a dozen more men matching the one she just took out.

"Dispose of that one at once," a shrill voice cried out from behind the wall of men.

"Oh crap," the agent muttered as all the men charged her at once.

"Code red," May called into her headset,

"We've got company at the doorstep-," she dodged a fist,

"-They've brought fruit punch-,"

A man managed to cut may with a knife and then cried with shock as she stabbed him with one of her own,

"-And knuckle sandwiches... AAAH!" May held her ear; another cloaked man tried to kick her face, but got the side of her face knocking the earpiece out.

"Ok," the girl said cracking her knuckles,

"Now things get serious..."

She unhooked a kinked piece of metal from the back of her uniform and jammed the two ends into each other forming a long metal bar. May flawlessly spun and twirled the bar in her hand, before pointing it at the man who had kicked her. He put a hand on his hip,

"Aren't you just the cutest thing in the whole wide-"

May slammed the bar into the side of the robber's face. She rolled her eyes as she watched him collapse on the ground,

"Don't patronize me."

The agent was abruptly grabbed from behind and was about to be strangled, when suddenly; the murderer fell to his knees. May whipped behind her to see who caused this and saw Agent Alex pulling one of his ninja stars out of the strangler's neck.

"Way to aim Raven 2," she breathed.

"Anything for my fearless leader," Alex bowed mockingly before calling out,

"Back to back!"

In an instant, the two agents were back to back taking on the on coming men, may with her metal bar and Alex switching between his stars and gun.

In the back of the room, a tanned boy smirked behind his purple cloak,

"These fools think they have the upper hand... Well let's turn the tides shall we."

He held up a golden rod and continued to watch the fight scene play out.

"So," May called out, "Where are the others?"

Alex took a quick breath in before replying, "Agent Matthew and Carter are fighting over by the card...and Agent Jason's helping Agent Richard."

May nodded and slapped another man away with her bar. "How much more are there," May thought before she noticed that something was wrong with Alex.

Alex grabbed his head and started moaning. May glanced over at her fellow agent.

"Alex are you-" May started, but was interrupted by a slap from Alex.

Shocked, may held the side of her face and started bewildered into Alex's eyes that were now...purple? Almost in a possessed manner, Alex lunged at May. Not knowing what else to do, May grabbed Alex by his leading arm and threw him over herself. She probably knocked the wind out of him judging by the way he landed on the floor, and then guided his arm back and continued until it dislocated. Out of breath, May threw a dart into Alex's stomach and prepared to keep fighting.

Three men were up against May, which wouldn't be so bad in her opinion, except they were all twice her size. With determination in her eyes, she wiped some blood off her forehead and charged at the three men. She kinked her bar and grabbed two knives from the belts around her thighs. Then, to the men's surprise, she slid across the floor and slashed their ankles; she hook slid and then threw the two daggers at them.

Another man came up beside the agent and kicked her hard in the stomach while his accomplice held may up. She fought against her captor and managed to get free, but not before spraining a wrist and receiving a few sucker punches. May held her side and tried to take a mini breather.

The tanned boy continued to watch the scene.

"Little does that one know that she's all that's left," the teen snickered to himself and called out to her, "Why don't you just give up?"

"Why don't you just give up?" May heard the voice from earlier call out to her.

"When these guys are finished I'm coming for you next," she called out to the shadows.

"Why not just end this now..." The voice replied has it stepped out into the moon lit entrance.

May watched as the mystery boy removed his purple cloak from his face. He was a handsome-looking, tanned Egyptian with purple eyes- the same shade as the possessed Alex. May ran up at the Egyptian boy and was about to drop kick him when she froze.

"Tsk, tsk," the purple-eyed boy teased, holding up a glowing item,

"You're in such a rush... Nooow," he said looking at May's belt,

"I don't think you'll be needing this," he removed and threw May's gun,

"Or this, or this, or this, or this, or this," as he continued to disarm her,

"Or theeeese," he said as he unclipped all of the agents darts.

May could hear the remaining men laughing and was positive that her blood was now boiling with anger. The man, who May now assumed was the leader of the cloaked men, tried to take off May's watch but found that the device was basically welded onto her wrist. He did, however, notice the inscription on the side of the watch "Raven Leader." The boy practically smirked through his purple eyes and pushed may a few feet backwards. The boy had May up against the wall, rod in one hand and the agent's shoulder in the other.

"So," he said loud enough for all to hear,

"You're the ring leader of this little ninja pack..."

He could tell from her bright eyes that she was sneering at him. The tanned boy laughed a bit,

"Such pretty eyes," he continued,

"I wonder what the rest of your face looks like."

He added as his hand left May's shoulder and reached out to the fabric covering her nose and mouth. Despite the power of the object keeping her glued to the wall, May managed to grab his hand in mid-reach and stop him from getting any closer to her face. The boy blinked back in surprise.

"So, you're strong enough to resist my millennium rod?" He said, almost screaming,

"Let's see how strong!"

The leader of the cloaked men brought up the rod and prepared to strike may with it, when she dropped to the ground and kicked the Egyptian's legs out from under him. Outraged, the boy grabbed the millennium rod and caused it to glow. May grabbed her head, which now was screaming with a mind splitting headache. The pain was so bad that it made the ninja kneel to the floor and place her head on the ground in agony.

The boy picked himself up and walked next to May,

"Not that strong I guess," he sighed as he pet her back.

"Take the card and the girl we're leaving."

May's world was fading fast, and the headache wasn't making it any better.

"Master Marik," one man called.

"W… s... Odion?"

"What...we do with the... other... men"

Marik looked at may and smiled in a sadistic way.

"Marik… Don't do it," she wearily called out,

"Don't kill my men..."


	3. White Room

Author's Quickie: Thanks for the review iloveyugiohGX93! It means a lot to me xD Please do continue reviewing, tell me all the constructive critique and stuffy stuff! Enjoy this next chappie :)

Disclaimer: I ain't own no Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Chapter 3:

White Room

"Ai...Ai... Ai!"

Ai awoke with a gasp and sky-rocketed out of the twin size bed, sputtering and sweating, the last encounter with Marik still numb on her mind. Chills of cold sweat and heavy breathing overtook Ai until—

"Ai, it's over, you're safe."

The voice registered in Ai's brain to be the boy who Marik called out to before she fainted...

_What was his name...Ben...Len…?_

"My name is Ren, if you remember me. The last time we met you… fell into my arms," Ren sheepishly grinned and sat at the foot of the bed.

Ai had a pounding headache and tried to get out of bed, but Ren stopped her, reminding her that she was still too frail to walk. She wanted to protest, but found she could not speak. Ai placed a hand around her neck, and then the painful memories drowned her thoughts.

"You might not be able to speak for a while… Marik cut you pretty deep..."

Ren took her hand and placed it on the covers gently. Ai wouldn't have any of this though; her mind was spinning with questions.

_How did he know my name?_ _Why am I here?_ _Where is this place anyway?_

She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Ai lifted her hands in an attempt to show Ren what she wanted. She pointed for him to walk to the door and fetch Marik (Ai used a stabbing motion to associate with Marik).

"You...want me...to go get..."

Ai nodded eagerly in agreement to what he understood so far.

"…more painkiller?"

Ai face-palmed in frustration.

"Alright, I'll get you something,"

Before Ai could grab a hold of Ren's wrist, he left through the door. Ai sighed and leaned back against her...surprisingly comfy bed.

_Well, I can't be in jail with this cozy of a bed…_

_This must be some kind of hospital...maybe…_

Ai glanced around at her new surroundings: spotless white walls, huge glass doors, and the smell of sterile objects…making her want to gag. She turned her head to the left, which was a big mistake; the pain made Ai's eyes water and bite her lip, but nevertheless, she saw another bed. In the bed was what appeared to be a mummified body. Intrigued, and with one painful step at a time, Ai stood up.

_Heh, this isn't too hard-_

_Oof._

Ai crumpled to the ground in defeat; apparently her legs were not as sturdy as she assumed.

_No matter,_ thought Ai, _I'll just crawl._

Ai made her way, hands and knees, to the other sick-bed. This area of the room looked much different from her side. Clear tubes of liquid were pinned into the mummy's body, an IV stuck into their arm. Ai could hear the body breathe very wanted to get nearer, and so she used her arms as support to stand next to the bed. Just as she was about to reach out and touch the body, a voice stopped her.

"Don't touch her."

Ai knew the voice; it was Marik. It was the same Marik who had sliced her throat.

"She's in critical condition, and I ought to know,"

Marik was leaning casually against the white wall, staring at the girl in the bed.

Ai turned to Marik and used her hands to try to ask if he had done this to her.

"Did I do that to her…? Why, yes, I did," Marik smirked, "She resisted me, and those who resist pay the price...it's her fault for fighting back."

Ai frowned and turned to look at the girl again. A heart monitor was the only thing that blocked out the silence in the room. Finally, Ai turned around again to ask another question.

"What was her...name? Heh, Ra if I know, all I know is that her and her pack of monkeys were ruining my plans," Marik snickered, apparently recalling a memory in this head.

Ai asked another question with her hands,

_Why is she here?_

"Why is she…oh, she's here because I ordered my rare hunters to bring her to me...I think she'll be a nice addition...really bring the spunk into my group,"

Marik strode toward the girl and brushed back a bit of her hair from her partly covered face. After a while, Ren came back into the room and saw that Ai had left her bed. In his hand was a syringe; Ai crinkled her nose in horror, oh how she hated needles. She used her hands a swift shakings of her head to show that she, in fact, did not need or want anymore medication.

"Ah…you didn't want this, huh?" Ren's face turned a shade crimson for perhaps a second or so, not anything too drastic for where Ai would notice, but Marik most certainly did.

Marik snickered at the teen; Ren, slightly offended and feeling idiotic, smiled nevertheless, seemingly unbothered by Marik's remarks.

"Well it's a good thing you told me or else you'd probably get knocked out again," Ren said with a shy, nervous air.

"Heh, well I wouldn't have minded that."

Ai glared at the blonde and stuck out her tongue, much to the tan boy's pleasure.

"You're too amusing, " Marik laughed, but Ren did not, in fact he looked rather…upset.

Ai looked back at the girl and sighed, this time, trying to use her own voice to ask another question.

"Ow…h-how long...has s-she... b-been...out?" Ai managed to mumbled.

"About 28 hours…and I don't suspect her to wake anytime soon," Marik said as he looked at the bandaged girl.

After moments of silence, Ren suddenly scooped Ai up into his arms and spoke quietly to Marik, "I guess I'll put Ai where you said you wanted her to be, master Marik,"

Ren bowed his head slightly and got ready to go out the door.

"Fine...I'll stay here for a little longer..."

"By the way Master, I believe two rare hunters had a quarrel and left a mess in the food hall," Ren just so happened to remember to mention.

"Alright, fine, I'll make it quick."

And with that, Ren and Ai left the white room, and Marik was left alone to gaze at the girl. After a few moments, he too left the room.

* * *

May looked down and saw she wasn't wearing a top at all but bandage wrapped by bandage to the point that it looked like she was wearing a strap-less top. Every cut and stab was rapped as well and became tender if May reached her arms up too high. The practically mummified girl could feel thick bandages randomly secured to her head and a brace on her left ankle. She tried to get out of bed but was greeted with several waves of pain starting from her hips and ending at her collarbone.

"Well," May said to the empty room, "I definitely broke something."

Determined to get off her godforsaken bed, May forcefully pushed herself off the bed and bit her tongue to stop from screaming. No sooner did she get off her bed, than a little alarm went off in the room and echoed through the halls.

May rolled her eyes and would've face palmed if her limbs would let her.

"Friggin hospitals having alarms to keep their patients in bed."

The doors in front of May's room flung open and to May's surprise, instead of a panicked nurse coming to assist her back to bed, one of the cloaked men from last night came and the tanned Egyptian boy as well.

"What the-" she started,

But was violently shoved against the wall by the unknown man. May's eyes widened with pain,

"Guaaah," she breathed and tried to hold back the screaming her body was making.

"Worst. Hospital. Nurse. Ever."

The man holding her angrily squeezed the not-so-currently-mighty-ninja's wrists.

"Aaaaaaaah I take it back! You're an amazing nurse," May blurred out.

"That's enough," Marik told the man holding the girl.

"Did you think you could just get up out of bed and stroll out the door?"

"I can't say the thought didn't cross my mind..."

Marik was about to reply, but blinked and took a double take at May's face.

"Where did u get that cover for your face?"

"...I found it."

"Ok new question, why are you wearing it?"

"Because the last thing I remember was getting the crap beaten out of me and I had no clue where I was!"

By this point, Marik's henchman had released May from the wall and was spectating the unfolding argument. Marik took notice of this, and waved the expendable man out of the room. Once the cloaked man had left, Marik looked back at May only to find her bright blue eyes hatefully staring into his equally bright lavender ones.

"Déjà vu."

"What? Does this remind you of something?"

Marik brushed the sarcastic comment aside and replied, "Yes... But this time I can do this!"

He quickly reached for the covering around May's face and whipped it off of her.

Shocked, and unable to do otherwise, May just stood there with a 'what the heck?' expression plastered on her face.

Marik smirked, "I'm sure your face has seen much better days..."

May rolled her eyes and circled around her completion with her hand, "Curtsy of your purple friends."

The Egyptian strode over to the defiant girl, sighed, and held her chin,

"You need to get some rest,"

Marik explained, "I have an event I'm planning to go to at the end of this week and I want you to accompany me... So, do me a favor and stay in bed."

May slapped the boy's hand away,

"You'd have to keep me sedated in order for that to happen," she harshly spat out each word.

Marik held his millennium rod to the girl's face.

"That could be arranged," he coolly answered.

"And when you awake, I'll whisk you off to a fabulous black market auction."

May almost fell over... attend a black market auction?!

"Like heck I'd go with you!"

"I'll let you sleep on it..."


	4. Trapped

Chapter 4

Relaxing on a fluffy cloud, May sighed in relief as she rested her head back. Finally, solitude at last and not one sign of that irritating blondie. May spotted a fluttering dove, colored a lovely shade of lavender, and resting its tiny legs near her shoulder.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

The dove asked May, in which she promptly responded, "I'm alright, as far as broken, bloody, and bruised goes."

The dove, approving of this reply, asked another question, "Are you comfortable here?"

May nodded and closed her eyes, "I'm very comfortable here, and I could stay here forever..."

"Oh hopefully not forever," the dove tweeted cheerfully, "You've got to be awake for our black market date sweetheart."

_...Wait… _ May thought to herself, _Black market…ooh crap._

Suddenly, May was out of her dream world and into a soft, canopy king-sized bed, snuggled up against layers and layers of sheets and blankets, and to top it off, staring straight into the eyes of that not-so-lovely dove- or in other words, Marik.

"Heh, I was beginning to wonder when you'd actually wake up," Marik snickered with a wide smile, "I'm glad you think my bed is comfortable..."

May glared at Marik, let out an annoyed groan and rolled over onto her tummy. She moaned something into her- err his pillow, but it wasn't audible for Marik to hear.

"What was that?" Marik teased, as he "accidentally" elbowed May's ribs.

"OW, jerk!" May screamed as she slapped away Marik's arm, but as she did, her hand tingled and then stung with pain from moving it too quickly.

"Heheh," Marik smirked, "You ought to be more careful princess~" he sang, kissing May's stinging hand as he did so.

"I wouldn't have to be if you weren't such a pest and just leave me alone…and don't call me that either." May squirmed out of the Egyptian's grip on her hand and resisted the urge to spit on him.

Marik continued on with his previous statement, "Well, you sure look like a princess, so I don't see what's the problem here…"

Marik smirked, again, as he made his sly remark, intriguing May as of what in the world he was going on about.

_Princess?_ _Since when was bandaged and bruised the look of a princess?_

May raised her eyebrows and Marik laughed at her bewilderment, "Just look at yourself, my 'lil ninja, who knew you could look so beautiful?"

May glanced at a mirror, which so happened to be by her, and gaped at her new apparel. Sheer, cream colored silk draped her shoulders, and presumably the rest of her blanket-covered body. May stared and gawked in disbelief at this...monstrosity.

"Wh... Why...Where am I?"

"Why, my bedroom of course"

"And what's up with the silky night gown?!"

"Well I thought you'd be more comfortable in this than just a bunch of bandages…" Marik half- lied, smugly of course.

"Well…ugh! I'm sick of this, sick of _you_! You manipulated me and my crew and now you think you can get away with whatever you want, you self-centered little _pig_!" May ranted off in a huff, aggravation clear on her face that she couldn't beat the pulp out of him that very second.

"Well, the pig accusation was certainly an assumption… but, trophy, I actually _can_ get away with whatever I want," Marik scoffed with an impish grin, loosening his millennium rod out if his belt-bucket and raising it high enough to be seen.

"I can make you eat those words sweetie, and have you beg for forgiveness..."

Marik's impish grin turned into a roguish smirk as the blonde's rod started to create an ominously glow.

May quickly turned over, stuffing her mouth with a pillow, anything for her to resist that glowy stick of doom.

"…You can't resist me for long like that..." Marik said, slightly agitated.

Of course the Egyptian didn't like to see things not going his way. Marik scowled as he watched May struggle and murmur muffled noises into his pillow; clearly this wasn't satisfying enough for him. Marik, simpering with a new devilish idea, rested the top of the rod on the base of May's neck, and slowly started to trail down her spine, relishing in every small muffled cry she let out, all the way to her tailbone, at which point Marik was pressing with almost no pressure at all, which was somehow more alarming to May then the reverse. May squirmed as roughly as she could without breaking her already bruised up body, trying with all her might to get away from that freak with a mind control stick. She clawed the pillows that she smothered herself with and bit them in frustration. The stupid rod had control of her legs, so she couldn't kick the perv where it hurt, but at least she had her upper body, in which she angrily threw a punch to Marik's face.

Marik was caught off guard by this and was hit square in the jaw. Ouch.

"Why you little..." Marik started to sneer, but decided against it and stood up.

"You sure are trouble...be ready to pick out a dress the next time you see me."

Marik, smirk forever plastered on his face, stalked out of the bedroom, locking the door on his way out. May gritted her teeth and brushed her hair out of her face as she made her first attempt at getting out of bed. Biting her lip to avoid gasping in pain, she kicked up and out of the purple sheets during her second try, leaning against the wall for support.

_I got to find a way out of here._

The agent kept repeating that statement in her head. She looked around.

_Air vent? No, I can hardly stand let alone scale a wall and crawl through and air duct._

_Jumping out the window won't get me anywhere , let alone in my condition…_

_Door is locked... Great... Maybe I can...Pick the lock?_

_Ha, with what…?_

May fell back on the bed and welcomed the cry of pain as well as frustration. With nothing else to do, she covered her head with one of the pillows and continued to lie there. Just as things didn't seem to be able to get any worse, May heard footsteps near the door.

_Great, just what I needed..._

"Go away Marik, I'm not going-"

But before May got a chance to finish her muffled groan, the door unlocked and opened to...not...Marik.

"It's not Marik, it's just um...me...Heh, come to re-rap your bandages."

The voice was defiantly not Marik's at all, in fact, it didn't even sound like one of his cloaked men either.

_That's weird…_ May mused_, It sounds so...familiar_…

May lifted her head from under the pillow and rubbed her eyes. There was a girl at the door, around her age, auburn long hair, a little on the short side, and wearing a much too large purple cloak, although the cloak she tied up around the waist so it wouldn't be a walking hazard. The girl smiled at her nervously and sat beside her on the bed.

"Who are you supposed to be, his maid? Eh whatever, I'm just so sick of this..." May smacked the pillow in frustration and huffed.

The girl looked at her concerned, clearly something on her mind. She laid a hand on May's head, before May smacked it away angrily. The girl sighed, "...I'm Ai, since you asked, and like yourself... I was kidnapped here..."

She sighed again, putting her hand on her own head now.

"I...I should've…" Ai shook her head, as if shaking away a thought, "Anyway...you're doing a lot better than before." Ai spoke as she began to work on replacing May's head bandage.

May stared at the girl; she sounded so...familiar! Where had that voice been from...it seemed like a far off memory...or maybe a dream she had... She shook the thought away, ready to ask some more important things on her mind.

"Why am I here? The last thing I remembered was a hospital… Or at least I thought..."

May slightly winced with pain as Ai began to sterilize May's head wound.

There was a pause before Ai responded, "…Marik carried you here, since you were in no need of the critical medic room any longer. He told me that I was to be in charge of helping you…something about 'you're a girl, she's a girl, now do your job and nurse her back to blah blah blah'," she used her free hand to put air quotations around what Marik supposedly told her.

May chuckled, despite the stings of pain she got from the rubbing alcohol on her forehead.

"Yeah, not the most charming brat around, now is he?"

Ai nodded in agreement, putting a hand on her neck scar, memories searing and waiting to be released.

"Yeah..." Ai murmured in agreement.

She looked down sadly and brought out the new bandage for May's still bruised but not bloodied face. Ai brushed aside May's dirty, brunette hair as she wrapped the new covering on. May watched her in fascinating, one question still itching at her mind.

"My...what about my men? Do you know anything about them?"

Ai paused and looked at her confused, "Men?"

"Yeah, he used his weird gold thing to mess with their heads and-"

May took a look at Ai to see her completely lost in her story and then sighed, "Oh forget it...you obviously don't know."

Ai scratched her head and gave out a nervous laugh, "Ah, sorry about that...I wouldn't know where they'd be anyway..."

Ai half-heartily smiled as she shifted to stand up. May nodded, it was a long shot anyway. Ai gave a sheepish grin as she gathered her sterilizing tools and walked over to the door; she hastily added, "I know Marik is a pain, but… if you need me anytime just yell, okay?"

"Yeah…" May sighed, "Sure thing."

The door closed and May was alone yet again. She wrapped herself in the Egyptian's thin sheets; sleep being her only escape from her nightmare now. Surely she'd find her men and escape this place... and hopefully soon.


	5. Escape

Chapter 5

Escape

Filled with new determination, May once again made the painful trip of climbing out of bed. Trying her best to walk, she headed towards the door to examine the lock.

Upon looking at the thing, May laughed a bit, "If only I had my credit card."

The lock wasn't anything special; May hoped that the rest of this place was the same. Looking around for something to pry the door with, May noticed a bathroom off to the left. Curious, she headed into that room and out the bedroom. The bathroom was impressive to say the least. It was coated with white marble tiles and lavender towels. Everything was spotless, from the sinks, to the glass shower, and to the bathtub that might have well been a spa.

Turing to the ebony drawers, May quickly opened them in hopes of finding something useful.

"Hairspray."

"Hairspray."

"Moooore hairspray."

"Gosh how much- ugh, never mind"

The agent tore through three more drawers before finding her ticket out- a retainer.

"Sorry that I'm not sorry," smirked May as she ripped the metal off of the plastic retainer.

She then molded the metal into a key-like shape using the back end of a pair of nail scissors. Looking at her finished work, May could've almost cried.

"I could kiss you my little key... Except for the fact that you spent your whole life in Marik's mouth," she cooed.

Joyfully and almost floating, May pranced to the door and jammed the "key" into the keyhole.

Click.

May grinned, and gingerly pushed the door open and closed it behind her.

_Great, I love dark creepy hallways... _she thought looking at her surroundings,

Taking off in the darkest parts of the hallway, the agent began her escape. Not too far down the corridor, May began to hear voices coming closer. Panicked, she ran into the nearest room and closed the door behind her. To her dismay, she noticed a purple cloaked man and hid behind an outstretch of wall. It was too late though; the man had noticed the door and began to curiously walk near May's hiding spot. Plastered in place, May felt the wall for something-anything! Her fingertips felt something cool and metal. Turning, May took a closer look at what she had found and smiled. The man rounded the wall and looked at the agent in shock.

"Hey there," she smugly giggled before whacking him with a bright-red fire extinguisher.

May watched the man fall to the ground and muttered, "Believe me, that hurt me more than you."

She rubbed her tender arms and wasted no time dragging the henchman onto his bed. She took his purple cloak and made it her own, it was about a size or two bigger than her- but May didn't mind. Next, she checked the formerly purple-cloaked man for any weapons.

"Weapons? ...No. Weapons? ...No. Oh look a walkie-talkie. Weapons? Man, this guy is useless..."

Man searched one last pocket and found a bag of skittles.

"I take that back, your pretty awesome."

Walking out the door with a determined stride, May hoped that she was one step closer to freedom. No sooner did she exit the door did she bump into one of the cloaked men.

"Hey you!" the man yelled.

_Oh crap, caught already, _thought May.

"How come you aren't at your post? Get to work!"

The cloaked man pointed May into the direction of what she assumed was "her post".

"Err- right, not sure what came over me, but I'm on it," May said sternly, making the extra effort to sound like one of them.

The other man nodded and May began to walk in the direction where she was pointed... until the cloaked man was out of site- after that, May dashed down the hall, turning into what appeared to be a prison corridor.

_Well, _thought May_, better start here if I'm going to find my crew. _

May peeped her head into the small window located at the top of one of the doors. She scanned the room with squinted eyes, but, frankly, it was too dimly lit to be able to see a thing. May sighed, disappointment clear on her face. She peeped into the next window, to see if she could spot anything.

Out of the corner of her eyes, May saw a light... a glowing, ominous light. May put her ear to the glass window, trying with all her might to hear any kind of sound. Before long, she thought she heard a small voice; a voice mumbling something May just couldn't catch. The brunette pressed her ears harder into the wall, wishing so badly that she had her equipment.

Suddenly, the mumbles of the door ceased and May was left in utter silence. May, stuck with determination, looked down at the lock on the door, and jammed the retainer key into it, and after several minutes of different combinations, she silently opened the door...

* * *

"Bandage rapping...?"

Ai said with a bit less enthusiasm than the time before; she froze when she noticed that the girl was not in her bed.

"Hello...?" Ai paced around the room, looking in the bathroom as well, for any sign of the brunette. In a panic, Ai bolted for the door- only to hear the murmurs and footsteps of men close by.

Quickly, Ai went to the bed and stuffed the covers in an attempt make it look like someone was there. Before she had another moment to rethink, Ai jumped into the wardrobe, hiding from the man that slipped into the room.

"...May...?"

Ai strained her ears to hear the man, walking toward what Ai assumed was the bed.

"May I..."

There was a pause, and then Ai heard footsteps run off; the man ran away.

When Ai assumed it was safe to leave, she hesitantly opened up the wardrobe and stepped outside. She ran out the door and through the dark halls, but not without a certain cloaked figure noticing.


	6. Reunited

Chapter 6

Reunited

With a small creak, May stepped into the dark cell and toward the small light. The stream of light came from a cracked windowpane from above what appeared to be beds. To May's dismay, the cell was empty. Next to the crude beds was an extinguished oil lantern. Curious, may touched the metal of the lantern and instantly pulled her sizzling finger from it.

"Still hot," she muttered, "Someone was in here... The question is, who?"

Fighting her better judgment to just continue trying to escape, May found herself looking around the cell for clues. She didn't have much to work with, the floors were dirt, the walls were made of loose stone, and the beds were made from rotting wood suspended a few feet from the ground and bolted onto the wall. May ran her fingers through her hair and remembered a bunk bed she had to sleep in once. She loved being on the bottom because she could read the writings-

"Underneath the bed!" May gasped.

She headed over to the nearest bed and rolled underneath it- nothing. Sighing, May checked the next one

"Jack pot," she muttered when she found a note cut into the wood.

"They've taken us, one by one," May read,

"The first one to go was Richard, then Alex... As far as I know, no one else got caught. I suppose I'm the last one, everyone else is probably dead- or worse."

May rolled out from under the bed. Those were definitely her men... But she can't leave them here! It was her job as the Raven Leader to make sure no one was left behind.

_No, _May thought_, I can't leave them... But if I do I could get a rescue team... Whatever I stumble upon first then... My men and their fares... Or an escape. _

Silently running out the room and closing the door behind her, May continued her escape. Rounding a corner she saw two purple-cloaked men. She smoothly walked by them, but not before eavesdropping on their conversation...

"I heard the Master's doll escaped his room."

May almost gagged.

"Yeah, Master Marik's got all us rare hunters on high alert... He's really on edge about this, or so I've heard."

"I've heard the same, he doesn't take kindly to trickery... That lass is gonna be in a heap of trouble once she's caught."

May rolled her eyes and kept walking,

_Yeah, but IF I'm caught,_ she thought.

May had to hide her snicker from the unsuspecting rare hunters as she briskly walked on by. She continued down the corridor and rounded the corner until she met head-on, face to face with a head.

"Oof, watch it," the rare hunter said flintily.

May nodded, not wanting to add her voice onto a list of things that could give her away; the limping was probably number one, unfortunately. May looked into the eyes of the hunter, as did he in return. For some reason, she felt like knew him, he seemed so...

_Agent Jason!_ May thought in triumph.

"I've found you!" Both the 'rare hunter' and May said at the same time.

"Agent May, I-"

May lunged at the boy, covering his mouth with her hands.

"Sshh, not so loud!" May whispered hurriedly and quietly, releasing her hands once she heard silence again.

She looked around side to side, weighing her chances on if she was being eavesdropped or not. Deciding to go with her gut, she motioned for Jason to follow her until she spotted a room with more privacy. May slid into a dark, open room, silently surveying for any sign of a rare hunter. After hearing no sound, she assumed the coast was clear and brought Jason inside.

"Alright, we should be safe here..."

Jason nodded and with a grin said, "May, I thought for sure that you'd have already escaped."

"And I was hoping you had as well...so, agent Carter and Matthew?"

"I never saw them; I wanna say they were released, but I haven't a clue for sure," agent Jason said lowly with a sigh.

May nodded and, timidly asked, "And Richard…? Alex?"

After a pause, Jason responded, "...I just don't know. Richard was still badly hurt, I don't know if he'd make it..." he sighed and lowered his head, "We'll just have to assume the worst..."

May nodded in response to what Jason had said.

"So," May asked, "How did you get out of your cell?"

The boy smiled and brushed a few dirty blonde strands away from his face, "I used my overwhelming charm on one of the guards."

"Oh, get real," she responded while punching him in the arm.

"Alright, alright," laughed Jason, "I pick pocketed one of the guards when they took Richard by bumping into the big bloke... I got a nice beating for that."

Jason took his purple cloak off for a second to show May a black and blue bruise under his left eye.

"Ouch," May remarked.

"How did you get out of your cell?" Jason asked the Raven Leader.

May giggled, "Oh I didn't stay in a cell."

Jason gave May a whimsical look.

"I was in Marik's freaking bedroom!" whispered loudly, trying her best not to raise her voice. Jason snickered a bit and received another punch from May.

"You must've been delighted."

"I was formally invited to a black-market date and was to pick out a quaint little dress by the next time he visited."

"So what did you do?"

"I took a nap then got the heck outta that blasted room."

"Naturally..."

"What else did you expect from your fearless leader?" May said as she triumphantly twirled.

"May I ask why my 'fearless leader' is wearing a night gown?"

May instantly stopped mid twirl.

_Crap, _she thought_, if I move too fast it's seen with the cloak._

"It's a gift from Marik," May simply replied, "I haven't got the chance to return it though. But now seems like a good time to at least improve it."

She rummaged through the rare hunter's closet and put on a pair of pants while tucking in the nightgown.

_If I leave the nightgown here, _May thought_, the hunters would've known I was here... I'll just have to keep it for now. _

She turned to Jason, "Let's get out of here."

"I couldn't agree with you more, my 'fearless leader'."

Jason smirked as he twirled to the door and slithered out, with May closely behind.


End file.
